Goddess

I'm definitely a dress gal.  They're feminine, comfortable and easier to fit.  Dresses make me feel pretty and like myself.  Ladies, if your clothes aren't doing that for you it's time to evaluate your wardrobe!

One of my favorite things about Spring and Summer fashion, besides the return of bright white and linen fabric, is maxi dresses.  They make me feel long and tall (which is a big deal).  Maxi dresses while commonly casual manage to make me feel like i'm dressed for a special occasion.  When I think full length dresses, I imagine weddings and fundraisers. But design a full length frock in cotton and you're bringing the fancy to the weekend.

Personally I get a little anxious when I think about short season as my legs aren't my favorite.  So when I'm having those days where I feel like being covered, maxi dress to the rescue!
And what's even more fun, is that their easy breezy design is perfect for a little twirling!

Oh and gals, go ahead and invest in hemming.  Your legs don't need to be elongated with heels (no one can see them) so treat your self to comfortable flat sandals.
Note: I'm 5'2" and did not have to hem this dress and it's not petite.

I added a wide leather woven belt to break up the solid color and add texture. I adore woven belts because you can adjust their size.

Maxi Dress: Banana Republic || Sandals: Tory Burch || Belt: Michael Kors || 

Earrings: Kendra Scott || 

More Maxi Dresses: Here & Here

Dress Beautifully in a Maxi Dress

XOXO Sarah Louise

Summer Crisp

The crisp white shirt is not only my favorite, it's the quintessential piece for the making of a fabulous wardrobe.

For so many reasons I'm obsessed with this classic and timeless piece.  It's crisp and polished with it's structured collar and cuffs, it's cool and comfortable in cotton and refreshing with it's flattering seams and brightening white color.

The crisp white shirt pairs with everything! It's a clean slate and has the ability to wake up a tired look. Because white is vulnerable to stains/blemishes I believe in having several.

I hate to state the obvious but gals ironing is nonnegotiable.  Now popping the collar, while chic can sometimes be too bold for some, for me personally, it's a standard in styling.  And if you're really feeling adventures add a monogram on the cuff or cuff links.  I have my own collection of cuff links, it may be a borrowed accessory from the menfolk but it's also a sophisticated way to showcase your personality.

Southern Summers are HOT HOT HOT! And crisp cotton is key to surviving the heat.

I've rounded up some crisp cotton pieces to keep you polished and cool ...

Popover Short Sleeve Shirt - Stripe - Oxford Blue ||  Cotton Shirtdress ||

Note: I have these popover shirts in multiple colors - more is more!

Also: the large sleeve opening is slimming on the arm :)

Sleeveless - Short Sleeve - Long Sleeve || Classic Blue ||  Trapeze Shirt ||

Tie Waist Dress || Sleeveless A-Line || Shirt dress ||  Utility || 

Dress Beautifully in a Crisp Cotton

XOXO Sarah Louise

Seas the Day

I've always had an affection for nautical style from my days in college by the beach to now as a Naval Officer's wife.  The stripes, anchors, and gold buttons take you to a place of bright sunny days and sandy warm beaches.

Typically nautical pieces are casual because let's face it sailing on a boat or strolling along the shore calls for cool cotton and bare feet.   So when I find skirts, pants or dresses that incorporate nautical elements appropriate for the office I'm headed straight to the dressing room.

I was quite excited at the sight of these shiny gold buttons on this tailored pencil skirt.  Slightly surprised at the black color (I prefer navy) but I suppose a gal does have to have some black in her closet and contrasted against lighter shades it is quite sharp!

I didn't want to distract or take attention away from the gold button detail but I wasn't quite in the mood for my normal solid top so I went with a pinstriped shirt.  When prints are so small you can't see them from far away you can style them as a solid.

Pair this skirt with a denim top,  printed top or brightly colored top.  Swap out pumps for wedges for a more casual look.

Sailor Skirt: Loft || Pinstripe Shirt: J Crew || Pumps: Nine West || 

More Nautical Options: Here - Here & Here

Dress Beautifully in a Sailor Skirt

XOXO Sarah Louise

Grit & Grace

Today is a good day to share with you about the real life Sarah Louise, since today is my 33rd birthday!
 I’d like to think of myself as the perfect combination of grit and grace.
My Mamma raised me to be tough as nails, hug generously and to always be as sweet as pie!  She’s the one that cultivated this hot mess from scratch.

Laws to Live by …
• Love God & Love Others
• Give Grace Abundantly
• Dress Beautifully Always
• Pretty is as Pretty Does
• Smile Even When it Hurts
• Work Harder than You think You Can
• Sweat at Least 5 Days a Week
• Ketchup makes Everything Better
• Cats will make you Laugh Every Time
• Pink goes with Everything
• Quality over Quantity
• Southern Hospitality is a Way of Life

The favorites ...
• Mr
• Lemons
• Champagne
• Gal Pals
• Red Lipstick
• Crisp White Shirts
• Easter Sunday
• Gold Everything
• Red Hair
• Military – give thanks to those who serve!
• Vintage Décor & Linens
• Magnolias
• My double name – honors the strong women of my family
• Dark Chocolate – Treat Yo Self!
• Firearms
• Handwritten Notes
• Grace Covenant Church

The Unlikes …
• Naked Nails
• My Painful Feet
• Beets - Ewwwww
• Christmas (Yes, I’m a Grinch & please don’t try and reform)
• Disease – Especially the Big ‘C’
• Scary Movies
• Food – very little excites me, just need to tame the belly growl/fuel for strength
• Texting & driving – Seriously!!
• Shorts – I wasn’t blessed with hot legs 
• Washing my hair – so I only do it twice a week (aint nobody got time)

Wishing I Could …
• Hula Hoop
• Cook (the struggle is real)
• Sing (nails on a chalk board)
• Have Skinny Ankles
• Stop watching reality tv (Bravo steals hours of my life I’ll never get back)
• Work in the Fashion Industry
• Hook my brassiere behind my back

Obsessions …
• List making
• T. Swift – Dance Partay!!!!
• Black Coffee Extra Strong
• Emojis – can’t text without them and the heart kitty is overused
• Hugs – I’m a toucher!
• Holding hands
• Mamma – she’s everything!
• Faux tanner – red heads don’t tan and wrinkles/disease are Epic Fails
• Princess Kate’s wardrobe
• Fine Fabric
• Emily Post Etiquette
• ‘Scragley Paul’ (Our Cat) – I deny all accusations of being a #crazycatlady

Leftover Info …
• Married to Medicine/US Naval Officer.  Mr’s had my heart for 10 years, 7 of which were long distance, 1 year he was deployed and 6 have been in married bliss!
• Oldest of 4 kiddos – 3 gals and brother
• Nerd! Degrees in Biology, Chemistry and Math – I was even a Chemist for 3 years
• North Carolina has always been home
• Passion for public service
• Junior Leaguer – give back!
• Play the flute – Yes that one time I was a band geek
• Hosting Shindigs & Soirees makes me happy
• Yard work is surprisingly enjoyable
• Old Lady at heart – bring on the lace, toile and broaches

After taking a look through the window of my 33 year old life I hope you get a clearer picture as to who I am as a gal living this overly blessed life! 

Dress Beautifully it’s Your Birthday!!!

XOXO Sarah Louise

Bleached Out Blue

Denim is everywhere in my wardrobe, pants, skirts, tops but I was missing a dress.
So here's my struggle, I didn't want long sleeves because it's just too darn hot down here in the South and I like a lot of movement in my arms.  I also wanted one that wasn't a shirt dress with buttons all down the front to the hem.  I find that buttons on my lower body/legs is not a good option because I can't go through life exclusively standing and well puckering when sitting isn't good on a lot of levels.
And to top off my search I was aiming for a dress that had a waist seam for added shape.
That's a tough hunt let me tell you!

So I found this dress and I was sold.  I ordered and waited patiently for the brown box to arrive at my door.  It fit the bill for a the casual denim dress I was looking for.

It's light weight in a chambray type denim fabric, it's not the typical dark blue that I have throughout my closet, it's a bleached out pale blue and with a draw string waist it creates a flattering shape.
These design elements along with the v neck, pockets and shirt tail hem make it the quintessential casual piece.

I paired it with these oh-so comfortable lace up block heels.  I can seriously wear them all day long.

While I focus a majority of my wardrobe on work wear, over the past couple of years I've invested more in chic casual pieces.  I avoided them because I didn't see the value since most of my waking hours were spent in the office.  But putting work blouses with jeans is just boring and lacks creativity.
I've learned that casual garments don't have to be disposable.  You can still incorporate quality, classic and timeless features into the weekends.

A denim dress is a fabulous way to incorporate classic elements into your casual wardrobe.

Dress: Nordstrom || Lace Up Block Heels: Vince Camuto - comes in several colors || 

Earrings: Here || Polish: Essie || 

More denim dress options: Here - Here and Here 

Dress Beautifully in a Denim Dress

XOXO Sarah Louise

Gingham Goodness

Gingham is 'The' print of the season.  It's a checked, plaid pattern of symmetric lines and in 2 contrasting colors.  It's a fun print and one that's timeless.

When I think of gingham I instantly think of warm sunny days of Spring & Summer.    Embrace the bold pattern and colors over your solids.  Even Mr has several gingham pieces in his closet ... the trick is to avoid the awkward #twinning disaster!

I've put together lots of gingham goodness with a variety of price points.  You're sure to find the perfect piece or 2!

Gingham Tank  Gingham Short  Red Romper   

Black/White Tank    Gingham Shirt  Gingham Pant 

Blazer   Linen Pant  Sundress  Skirt  Shorts  

Trench Coat  Hat  Bucket Bag  Swimsuit   Moto Jacket   Skinny Pant   Ballet Flat  

 Lots more Here

Midi Dress   Tie Waist Top   Shorts   Jacket   Skirt

       Pumps   Sheath Dress   Ankle Pants

Dress Beautifully in Gingham

XOXO Sarah Louise

Dot. Dot. Dot.

When your talking classic, forever prints, polka dots are going to be near the top. Now I don't have a lot of polka dot print in my wardrobe.  It's not that I don't like it, I just like other prints better.  I also find that polka dot pieces can either have a juvenile or retro vibe.  I neither want to look too young nor like I'm ready for a midcentury costume party.   Another reason why I may not have brought these spots into my closet is that I prefer lighter and cleaner/less busy palettes.

When I saw this dress it spoke to me! Ladies that's how you should approach your wardrobe and interior design for that matter. It's bright white (my favorite color to wear), the spots are larger with more blank space, and the silhouette is ultra feminine.

Sleeveless dresses are my go-to for all year wear.  They're cool in the summer and perfect for layering over and under in lower temperatures.   This high neck creates more interest than your basic crew or v neckline and you can't go wrong with a waist cinching sash.
Styling Tip:  Exchange the self fabric sash with a leather belt to create a contrast and add texture.

I wore this dress to church and added some pizzazz with a pair of shiny red patent leather sandals.  For the office, I believe you can still strut in red sandals but in letting the dress and print speak for itself I opted for classic black pumps in this look.

Go ahead, sport some spots ...

Polka Dot Dress: Ann Taylor || Pumps: Nine West || Polish: Essie || 

Dress Beautifully in Dots

XOXO Sarah Louise

Midas Touch

Call it mustard, sunflower, saffron, dark yellow or gold, which every you choose this rich yellow color will definitely add some sunshine to your spring wardrobe.

In fact, when it comes to the color yellow, the darker more saturated tones are my favorite.  Maybe because it reminds me of one of those big sunflower fields you'd see driving down back roads on the way to the beach in the Summer time.

So while visiting one of my favorites, Ann Taylor, I saw that they had this rich gold color sprinkled in a variety of fabrics and garments throughout the storeroom floor.  It's an unexpected shade but one that really pops.

My favorite color pairings are hot pink, white, black and all shades of blue.

Two pieces caught my eye and after a quick try-on I was sold...

Striped Sweater Dress 

Gingham Top

Check out lots more in this golden yellow:

 Go matchy matchy with coordinating Shorts

Pineapple Skirt - Available in Shorts & a Dress 

Eyelet Back Top

Dress Beautifully in Golden Yellow

XOXO Sarah Louise

Off the Shoulder

One of the biggest trends this Spring and Summer is the off-the-shoulder top.  They've hit the fashion scene and quickly became a must have!

I quickly jumped on board and ordered this top back when the weather was still cold. So it's been staring at me for weeks every time I walk into my closet, teasing me.  I NEED warmer weather so I can shimmy around in it!

Tibi's design kick started this fabulous trend and thank goodness designers have all created their own versions at a variety of price points.

Not all off-the-shoulder tops are created equal.  I like this one because the top elastic only spans the shoulders and back leaving the front neckline smooth and stationary.  It makes for a more comfortable fit and easier movement with wear.  Elastic of any design or placement can be restrictive but it can also create functionality.  It's a piece by piece evaluation - hence the rule of always trying things on.  With an off-the-shoulder top make sure the elastic isn't too snug and that you can move your arms without the top springing up.

Back in the 80's off-the-shoulder tops were super tight and fitted and often worn tucked into high waisted pants.  And while that look can be snazzy, I'm all about the causal, tunic cut of today's top.  It's light and loose and easy to wear for all body types. Although ladies, you will have to switch to a strapless bra. But it's worth it!  Showing off your shoulders, one of the smallest features on the feminine frame is very flattering.

I paired this top with a pair of distressed jeans and wedges for a casual look.  Come summer time wear with shorts and sandals or for evening skinny pants and heels.

You must jump on this trend and add an off-the-shoulder top to your wardrobe!
Truth: I've also added an off-the-shoulder dress to mine :)

Off the shoulder top: Free People || Jeans: J Crew || Wedges: Tory Burch - Similar & Here ||

Lots of off-the-shoulder tops Here 

Dress Beautifully in an Off-the-Shoulder Top

XOXO Sarah Louise